Apellis to Present 11 Oral Studies at ARVO Annual Meeting

May 01, 2024 -- Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: APLS) recently announced that it will showcase 14 abstracts, 11 of which are oral presentations, at the upcoming Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting. The event will occur from May 5 to 9 in Seattle. The presentations will emphasize the continued efficacy and safety of SYFOVRE® (pegcetacoplan injection) for treating geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Caroline Baumal, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Apellis, stated that the 11 oral presentations at ARVO reflect the increasing enthusiasm for SYFOVRE among retina specialists. She expressed excitement over presenting data that underscore SYFOVRE's ability to slow disease progression and potentially preserve visual function for a longer duration.

Key oral presentations include:

- Ashkan Abbey, M.D., will discuss the long-term efficacy and safety of pegcetacoplan over 36 months, based on 12 months of data from the GALE open-label extension study, on Sunday, May 5.
- Marco Zarbin, M.D., Ph.D., will offer a comparative analysis between pegcetacoplan and avacincaptad pegol in GA, utilizing data from three phase 3 trials, on Thursday, May 9.
- Rishi Singh, M.D., FASRS, will share findings on how pegcetacoplan delays the loss of central macular sensitivity, derived from microperimetry analysis of the phase 3 OAKS study, also on Thursday, May 9.
- Konstantinos Balaskas, M.D., will present a comprehensive analysis of fundus autofluorescence and SD-OCT correlations in GA, based on the phase 3 DERBY and OAKS trials, on Sunday, May 5.
- Julia Mai, M.D., will explore variability in perilesional FAF patterns and OCT-based PR/RPE loss ratios in GA progression, from the OAKS/DERBY trials, on Sunday, May 5.

Additional significant oral presentations include studies on the use of virtual reality headsets for measuring contrast sensitivity in AMD by Deepayan Kar, Ph.D., MS, and the identification of OCT biomarkers predictive of visual deficits using deep learning, presented by Dun Jack Fu, Ph.D., BMBCh.

Poster presentations will cover various related topics, including the prevalence of outer retinal tubulation (ORT) in GA patients from the OAKS and DERBY trials by Kensington Hatcher, O.D., FAAO, and the impact of GA on independence based on results from the MOSAIC study in Europe, presented by Beverly Lui, PharmD.

SYFOVRE® (pegcetacoplan injection) is the first approved therapy for geographic atrophy (GA). It targets C3 to provide comprehensive control of the complement cascade, which is part of the body's immune system. SYFOVRE is approved in the United States for treating GA secondary to age-related macular degeneration.

Geographic atrophy (GA) represents an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration and is a leading cause of blindness globally, affecting over a million Americans and five million people worldwide. GA is a progressive and irreversible disease characterized by the growth of lesions that destroy retinal cells responsible for vision. This vision loss severely impacts quality of life and independence, as it hinders daily activities. Typically, it takes 2.5 years for GA lesions to begin affecting the fovea, which is crucial for central vision.

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing therapies for challenging diseases. The company pioneered the first new class of complement medicine in 15 years and has two approved medicines targeting C3, including the first-ever therapy for geographic atrophy. Apellis continues to explore the potential of targeting C3 for treating serious retinal, rare, and neurological diseases.

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